has anyone ever tried to patent a remedy or “medication” for the hiccups? has it ever stayed on a market and actually been bought by people?
Yes. Metoclopramide is often prescribed for hiccups. I also read a good case report (n=1) hypothesizing that cogentin may be usful for difficult cases.
I have a practical remedy that’s free. You take a probe, say a nice long #2 pencil, and stimulate the area behind your uvula. Stimulate for a couple of seconds, or until you feel your gag reflex rising. I have never had to repeat this more than three times per bout of hiccups.
I originally read about this with respect to anesthetic gases causing hiccups in patients that were on their way to abdominal surgery. IIRC the surgeons would elvate the head and tickle away until the spasms stopped. The explanation in the article was that the stimulus was sufficient to interrupt the spasmodic reflex.
I’m off to google now, but this has always worked for me…
Yeah, the vomiting is what stops the hiccups 
While not a marketable remedy, I have one method that has worked twice in my history of using it.
I was at a bar and had the hiccups. The guy next to me turned and said, “Excuse me, but you must have picked up my change.”
I told him I didn’t have it, he was wrong.
He insisted that he had change for a $20 on the bar before he went to the john, and since I was the only person there, I must have taken it.
I told him I didn’t have his damn change, getting pretty angry by this time at his accusations.
Then he told me, “You don’t have the hiccups anymore, either.”
And he was right!! I was pretty impressed.
I have only had the chance to try this method one other time and it worked on the victim.
I found that if I sit still and concentrate for roughly 5 seconds I can “will” the hiccups away. It never fails, but I haven’t been able to teach anyone else how to do it. Anyone else have this talent?
Drink a glass of water while someone holds their fingers in your ears - works every time!
My roommate in college (college = drinking = hiccups) taught me this trick, and it’s the only thing that’s ever worked for me. Open your mouth and take really long slow deep breaths, in and out, being sure to breathe through your mouth and not your nose. After a couple of minutes the hiccups are gone. I’m guessing the slow steady breathing must override whatever is causing the hiccups (diaphragm spazzing out or something?).
I have certain days where I get these incredibly persistent hiccups that will just NOT go away no matter what I do. Yesterday was one of these (fortunately rare) days.
I had the hiccups 5 separate occasions throughout the day, with each episode lasting no less than 45 minutes. (one lasted over 2 hours)
Normally, when I get hiccups, I can cure them fairly easily by the drinking water by sliding it down your throat trick. (just be sure not to swallow any air along with the water) If this fails, I plug my ears while swallowing the water and that seems to do the trick. But on these special “hiccup” days, nothing works. I tried breathing steadily through my mouth, holding my breath, drinking upside-down, sugar under the tongue… nothing can defeat the awesome power of these hiccups.
Does anyone else have “hiccup” days? Why would I be predisposed to hiccups on certain days???
When you have the hiccups, say the word “Orange”. My hand on the Bible, it works.
I told a co-worker that when she had the hiccups and she thought I was making fun of her orange outfit she was wearing that day. It worked, too. Actually, I haven’t seen her wear that outfit anymore. Looks like it worked in more ways than one.
Similar story… a friend accused me of talking abou what a whore his wife was. Truly freaked me out because actually she was, although I’d never said that to anyone. After a minute he asked “How are your hiccups?” Yep, they were gone!
Hmmm, I will have to remember that trick for when Mrs. DiLLiGaF gets the hiccups…
Teaspoonful of malt vinegar works for me; if the kids get hiccups, I tickle them and when they recover, the hiccups have gone.
How do I patent these cures?
i’ve already had a doctor say that sugar works. normaly for me at least eating just about anything stops it. the real point in this thread is to see how many people would buy a “medication” for something easily remedied.
I just hold my breath. But none of these remedies applies to the OP. Y’all show some respect for GQ, eh?
I inhale as deeply as I can and hold it for as long as I can.
I figure the over-inflated lungs stretch out whatever muscles are prone to spazm during the hiccough bout.
When i get hiccups and im sitting near someone, they usually notice.
I just say to them “I know how to get rid of the hiccups everytime” and i believe it.
Then they ask how and i say “hiccups are gone”
Which they are.
Works every time.